Building-block-making machine



Aug. 25, 1925.

J. -T. HUNTER BUILDING BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. T. HUNTER BUILDING BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Aug. 25

Filed Oct. 18. 1924 s Sheets-Sheet I gjwmmtoz J Han fer Aug. 25; 1925.

J. T. HUNTER BUILDING BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Get. 18. 1924 s Sheets Sheet s JZTHanler.

Aug. 25, 1925.

J. T. HUNTER BUILDING BLOCK MAKING MAQHINE Filed Got. 18. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwventoc cl Ilia 11 Ian Aug. 25, 1925. 1,551,394

' J. T. HUNTER BUILDING BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oqt. 18. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 25, 19252 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

ew 1:. nun'rnn. or COLUMBUS, oHroQ- :BUI nINe-B ooK-ivrAKINe MACHINE.

Application filed ctober'l 8, 1924. Serial No. 744,379.

T 0 all whom it may concern-r i k I Be it known that I, JACOB T. HUNTER, a SHbJGCt of the King of England, residing at Columbus, in the county. of Franklin and State of Ohiofhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building- Block-Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the-following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a machine for making building blocks and particularly for molding them from concrete or other plastic material. I

It is aimed'to provide a novel cOnstruc tion wherein the same apparatus may be used to produce blocks of different sizes according to their use,and so construct the machine that the tamping means used, may

selectively be wholly orpartly used according to the block or blocks to be produced.

Another object is to'provide a machine of this character utilizing'a' mold box which may be readily subdivided in a novel man ner according to the sizes and shape'of the blocks to be produced.

Another objectis to provide a novel construction wherein the tampingmeans 1s car= 1 ried by a lever whoseope'ra'ting motor is also carried by theleverywhich lever has a balanced means to maintain the tamping means normally elevated, together -"with means'whereby the motor will be placed in operation automatically upon lowering of of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment. Referring to said drawings Figure l is a front elevation of the inachine; i i i Figure 2 is a side elevation of the ma chine, the tampers being shown elevated and their lowered position being suggested by dotted lines,

Figure 3 is a plan View of theapparatus;

"the frame 10 as at 13, let, and 15.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through theapparatus taken on the line 1' lof Figure 2;

' Figure 51s a plan view of the mold box showing all of. the, d1v1s1onplates in position' I Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken 7 on the line 66 of Figure V Figure 7 is'a "plan View of one of the blocks adapted to be cast by the machine;

Figure 8 is a plan viewof a se'cond block adapted'rtobe castby the machine;

Figure '91s a plan view of a third block adapted to be cast by the machine, and

Figure. 10 is a perspective'view of the I switch used to control the operating motor for the tamping means.

Like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the different views. if

Referring specifically to the drawings, a

suitable skeleton structure is built up and I generally designated 10, soas to support and accommodate the operating parts. This structure or frame workparticularly providesa generally rectangular mold "box as at 11, which is open'at its top and atone side of which upright angle bars in spaced relation are provided as at 12. Spaced pairs of'transverse angle bars form part of In'the bottom'of themold box'llis a pallet16 'whiclris vertically slidable andwhich has a lurallty of guide rods17 dependingfrom' 1t and guided throughopenings ina plate as at 18. Connectedwith one or more ofv the rods 17 is a rod or'the like as at 19 to which a short link 20 is pivoted which has pivoted thereto as at 21, a crank 22 so cured to shaft 22 that is operated by a manuallyoperable lever 23, said shaft being journaled as at 24 to uprights or bars 12. The rods 17 normally rest on the foundationfor floor-25 from which the device is supported and-the uprights 12 are bolted or otherwise secured to said foundation. In addition, angle bars or uprights 26 are provided at'the front corners of the mold box and fastened to said floor'25 and to the mold 3 box andv angle bars13. Still further angle bars 27 connect. the rear ends of the bars 13,14 and'15 and are bolted or fastened to the floor 25.

Within the mold box a' suitable core structure is adapted ,to be provided as particularly shown in Figures 5 and 6 and being removabl y supported. upon the pallet 16.

This moldbox may be free of subdivisions in may be provided selectively with that of.

Figure 7.

As shown, the pallet 16 may have suitable. core pieces 28 removably or rigidly applied thereto so as to produce the voids or. hollows 29 in. the blocks. The partitions may consist of two longitudinal boards or plates as at 30 having resilient wire elements 31 extending laterally therefrom and some of them being joined by longitudinal resilient wire elements 32. As a result of this construction, the elements 31 and 32 will surroundthe core elements 28 and thus hold the partitions 3O removably in place. The elements 31 and will not deform the block or mar its appearance or interfere with the tamping of the material into the mold. But one of these partitions 30 may be used at a time, or both of them may be omitted as well as jointly used.

A suitable truck or carriage is provided having a suitableframe-work 33 particularly including upper and lower side 111cmhers 34 and 35. Journaled on suitable axles 36 carried by the side members 34 and are rollers 37 which travel along the bars 14 and 15 as their tracks. Said truck also carries upstanding, slightly inclined standards 38 rigidly fastened thereto. A comparatively large lever 39 is pivoted at 40 to the standards 38 and at its forward end carries the tamping mechanism generally designated A and at its rear end carries suitable weight or ballast as at 41 which normally maintains th tamping mechanism raised as shown in full lines in Figure 2. The weight or ballast, however, is so proportioned as to constitutea balance to the end that the forward endrof the'lever may be pulled down and will remain in that position, with the ballast box 41 uppermost.

Said tamp'ing mechanism may comprise three shafts 42, 43, and 44. Central portions of these shafts constitute journals as at 45 and the same are mounted in bearings 46 carried by the lever 39. The shaft 43 has pulleys 47 thereon over which belts 48 traverse and which in turn pass over pulleys 49'.

on a shaft 50 journaled in brackets 51 fas tenedto the lever39. Shaft 49 is driven as by a belt and pulley 50 and 51 from a motor 52 mounted on the lever 39. Motor 52 is preferably an electric motor and. may receive its current from any suitable sourceunder control of a switch 53 carried by the said lever 39. This switch has two contacts 54 and 55. Contact 55 is pivoted as at 56 and has a weighted end 57 so that when the tamping mechanism 39 is in lowered position, the switch 55 engages the switch 54 and so that when the tamping mechanism is elevated-as in Figure 2, the weight 57 willmove the contact 55 away from contact 54, thus automatically opening and closing the circuit according to the position of lever 39.

Shaft 43 has any suitable number of cranks, preferably four as at 58 on which pitmen 59 are journaled and which suspend tamping blocks or elements 60. Said tamping blocks 60 all operate to tamp material only within the space between the partition plates 30. Shaft 43 has gear wheels 61 keyed thereto adapted to mesh with gear wheels 62 and 63 carried by the shaft 42. Saidgeahwheels 62 and 63 are longitudi nally slidable on their respective shafts and held in turning relation thereto by means of splines 64. lVheels 62 have collars 65 engaged by yokes 66 of shifting arms 67 Pivoted to shifting arms 67 are. links 68 which in turn are pivoted to a shifting lever 6.) pivoted at 7 O as to an extension of the bearings 46. guides 70 forming extensions of bearings 71 for the shaft 42. It will be seen that through manipulation of lever 69, the gear wheels 62 may be thrown into and out of mesh with the gear wheels 61. Shaft 42 is provided with an equivalent number of cranks to the shaft 43 as at 72 and ournaled thereon are pitmen or hangers 7 3 which are pivotally connected to andzsuspend tamping elements or blocks 74 similar to those at 60..

The tamping blocks 74 are designed to tamp material merely between one of the parti tions 30 and adjacent side-wall or front of the mold box. Thus it will be seen that when the block is not of such size as to re Arms 67 may slide through quire tamping in such space, the tampers 70 may be rendered inactive by throwing the gear wheels 62 out of mesh with the'gear wheels 61.

Shaftv 44 has cranks as at 75 which have pitmen 76 journaled'thereon which in. turn are pivoted to tamping elements or blocks 77 adapted to tamp material into the other space between the remaining partition 30 and s1de wallot the mold, accordmg to the size of the block. Between the tamping blocks 60, 74 and 77, guides 78 may be suitare slidable through guides 81 constituting extensionsof bearings 82 for the shaft 44. Arms are pivoted to pitmen 83 which in turn are pivoted to a shifting lever 84 pivoted as at 85 to an extension 86 of the bearing 46. Shaft 43 may have bearings 87 in line with the bearings 71 and 82.

Disposed transversely of side pieces 35,

and preferably inclined, is a scraper 88,

which is adapted to move from front to rear j across the top ofthe mold box in order to remove surplus concrete or plastic material incidental to shifting of the carriage 33.

Said carriage may be Operated in any approved manner but preferably through manipulation of a hand lever 89 whose grip is locatedat 90'. This lever is pivoted as at 91 to one of the angle bars 13 and at 92 to a link 93 pivoted at 9-1 to one of the side bars of the carriage 33.

In operation, say the parts are in. the full line position of Figure 1. The concrete or other plastic material from which the block is to be cast or manufactured, is fed in any suitable way intothe'mold box 11. 'lVith the tamping elements 60, 74, and 77 in line with themold .box, the lever 39 is pulled downwardly at. the forward end or tamping end which automatically closes the switch35 and causes themotor 52 to drive the shaft 50, pulleys 49, belts AC8, pulley 47, shaft. 43, pitmen- 59 and tampers .60.

If a block of the capacity of the mold box I is to be formed, that. is, one of the form of Figure 7,v the gear wheels 62 and63are thrown into mesh with the gear wheels 61 through manipulation of their levers 69 and 84, whereby the shafts 42 and 44 will be rotated and will operate the pitmen 7 3 and 76 and the tamping blocks or elements 74 and 77. In the event a block like that of Figure 9 is to be formed, the gear wheels 62 and 63 are demeshed .with respect to the gear wheels 61 so that the tampers 60 alone will operate. On the' other hand if a block like shown in Figure 8 is desired, the proper gear wheels 62 or 63 as the'case may be are demeshed from the gear wheels 61 so that the tampers 60 and either the tampers 74 or 7 7 as desired will operate, the mold box in the meantime having the partition plate 30 or one of them properly positioned according to the method heretofore described. After the cement or plastic material has been tamped into the mold box to the desired extent, the forward or tamp ing end of the lever 39 is elevated which because of the weight 57 causes the switch to automatically open. Thereafter, lever 39 is elevated which through the mediumof the link 93 imparts a rearward sliding movement to carriage 33, carrying the.

scraper 88 across the top of the'mold box and removing surplus concrete or cement. Thereafter the lever 23 is operated so as to elevate the pallet 16, to a level with the top of the mold box, whereupon the block may be moved off of the pallet. In view of this removal, the parts 28 are carried by a sec-V tion of the pallet as at 95 which is bodily removable from and merely rests on the remainder of the pallet, i

Suitably removably supported at one side of the mold box and on the pallet is a facing plate as at 96, which may have a smooth face to impart a corresponding finish to the adjacent surface of the block or'it may have a rock or ro'ughened face to impart. a corresponding surface to theblock, if desired.

It will be observed that the block that is produced by this machine is provided with a plurality of rows of ventilating openings, the openings in adjacent rows being in staggored relation with each other so as to make the block as nearly as possible impermeable to the passage of moisture therethrough by capillarity. Furthermore, the partitions between the rows of ventilating openings bemg in ahnement provide surfaces for the reception of mortar or other plastic binder in'laying the blocks in the wall.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 1

What is claimed is 1. A machine of the class described h av I ing a mold box, partition means for the lllOlClLbOX, and tamping means coactingwith the niold box having selectively operable tampers according to the partitioned por' tion of the box to be filled and tamped.

2. A mold box having a pallet, core clef ments carried thereby, and partition means for the box having means to coact with said elements to removably secure the partition means in place and according to the size of the element to be produced.

3. A mold box having a pallet, core elements carried thereby, and partition means for the box having means to coact with said elements to removably secure the partition means in place and according to the size of the element to be produced, said means comprising resilient wires adapted to surround tively to the mold box, tamping means carried by said carriage, and scraper means carried by said carriage to engage the molded material after operation of the tamping means.

6. A machine of the class described having a balance lever whereby it will remain in position with either of its ends uppermost, and tamping means carried by one end of said lever.

7. A machine of the class described having a balance lever whereby it will remain in position with either of its ends uppermost, tamping means carried by one end of said lever, and means to operate said tamping. means automatically operable as the lever moves to lowermost position at the tamping end.

8. A machine of the class described havinga balance lever whereby it will remain in position with either of its ends uppermost, tamping means carried by one end of said lever, and means to operate said tamping means automatically operable as the lever moves to lowermost position at the tamping end, said means consisting of an electric motor, and a switch for said motor automatically movable into and out of closed position according to the position of the lever.

9. A machine of the class described having a balance lever whereby it will remain in position with either of its ends uppermost, tan'iping means carried by one end of said lever, means to operate said tamping means automatically operable as the lever moves to lowermost position at the tamping end, a truck carrying said lever, scraper means for the tamped material carried by the truck and means to more the truck.

10. A machine of the class described having a frame provided with a mold box and with tracks, acarriage movable along said tracks, a lever pivoted to said carriage having a ballast means at one end and tamping means at the other end, a motor on said ,D'I-QdllS to automatically actuate said motor through said tilting, and lever means to control the movement of the carriage, a

mold box with respect to which the carriage moves, and a scraper movable over the mold box and the tamped material through movement of the carriage.

11. A machine of the class described having a mold box, a track extending from the mold box, a carriage slidable on said track, a lever to actuate, said carriage, a scraper carried by the carriage to engage the tamped material within the old box, a relatively large lever pivoted to the carriage, shafts journaled on said lever, means to selectively throw said shafts into and out of gear with each other, pitmen depending from the shafts, cranks on the shafts on which the pitmen are journaled, tamping elements suspended by the pitmen, a motor on said lever, means to drive one of said shafts fromsaid motor a switch for said motor adapted to automatically open and close according to the movement of the lever, and ballast means on said lever on the side of its fulcrum opposite to said shafts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JACOB T. HUNTER. 

